title: Association between transforming growth factor-beta 1 polymorphism and virologic characteristics of chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: The production of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) has been reported as being significantly associated with the gene polymorphism in the leader sequence at positions +29. The current study aimed to evaluate the associations between the polymorphism and the clinical characteristics of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). A total of 422 (252 men; mean age: 49.7 +/- 11.2 years) Taiwanese CHC patients with liver biopsies were enrolled. The TGF-beta1 gene polymorphism at position +29 (T or C), hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genotypes, and serum HCV RNA levels of these patients were determined. Of the 422 patients, the frequency of the T allele was 45.4%. Based on univariate analyses, a significantly lesser proportion of patients with allele T had high viral loads than those who were without allele T (P = 0.026). The lesser HCV RNA levels and HCV genotype 1b infection were significantly associated with the inheritance of the T allele in female patients based on univariate (P = 0.012 and 0.007, respectively) and multivariate regression (odds ratio/95% confidence interval: 0.434/0.219-0.859 and 0.468/0.237-0.927, respectively) analyses. In male patients with or without inheritance of the T allele, the clinical characteristics were similar. In conclusion, the association between TGF-beta1 polymorphism and virologic characteristics of chronic HCV infection implicated a significant role of host genetic factors on the clinical features of CHC. Female patients who carry T allele at position +29 were predisposed to be associated with HCV genotype non-1b infection and lesser HCV viral load, which revealed the gender effect.
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Wan-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Li-Po
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wen-Cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jee-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming-Yen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Nai-Jen
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Zu-Yau
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shinn-Cherng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-Yuh
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Liang-Yen
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013624:Taiwan; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase